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Stubbs scores twice in rain-shortened game

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Rain caused the Royals-Indians Cactus League game to be called off in the third inning Friday.

The Royals were leading, 3-2, when the game was stopped after a one-hour, nine-minute delay. There were no plans to make up the game.

Drew Stubbs of the Indians opened the game by crashing left-hander Noel Arguelles' 3-2 pitch far over the left-field bullpen. A rookie left-hander making his first start, Arguelles finished his two innings with no further damage.

"He gave up the leadoff homer, then settled down quite nicely," Royals manager Ned Yost said.

The Royals came back in their half of the first against right-hander Corey Kluber as Alex Gordon doubled, stole third and scored on David Lough's sacrifice fly. They added two runs in the second, both on throwing errors by the Indians, for a 3-1 lead.

"Corey was scheduled to go four, so he went the two and he went and threw two simulated in the tunnels, so he got up to 65 pitches," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "Under the circumstances, it was the best we could do."

The Royals stole three bases, two by Jarrod Dyson, against Kluber.

"They were running on him a little, but today was a little bit of a teaching day, and it didn't look like we were totally ready to play," Francona said. "Sometimes in Spring Training you don't want to see your team play like that, but it helps you drive home some points."

Facing lefty Ryan Verdugo in the third, the Indians scored as Stubbs doubled, stole third and came home on Ben Francisco's sacrifice fly. With Yan Gomes at the plate, a downpour prompted the umpires to stop the game.

Stubbs' double and homer came in his only two at-bats of the game.

"That was nice to see. The ball really jumped off his bat. If anything good today happened, it was worth coming over here to see him take those two swings, because those were beautiful," Francona said.

Up next for Indians: Zach McAllister on Saturday will get another chance to prove he belongs in the back half of the Indians' rotation as he is scheduled to throw four innings against the Cubs at 3:05 p.m. ET. McAllister has pitched seven innings this spring and has an ERA of 6.43. Prior to McAllister's outing, the Indians will give the ball to David Huff, who is scheduled to pitch the first three innings.

Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.